#MeatlessMondays – Late night sandwich (vegetarian sanguchón)

If you’ve ever been a party person, you know that the most critical point of a good night out is getting an appetizing snack before going to bed. The golden rule for these midnight banquets is just one: the greasier, the better. Every country or city has its local version of this almost sacred meal…in England it’s fish and chips or kebab; in Spain its all sorts of bocadillos (sandwiches); in New York it’s pizza.

Do you know what the Peruvian version is?

Perhaps saying this is a Peruvian tradition is an overstatement, as I have only done my fair share of partying in Lima, and I don’t know if it applies elsewhere. What I can tell you with certainty is that in my hometown, no one will hit the dance floor and then go to sleep, without making a quick stop at a sanguchón joint, and having the greasiest, tastiest sandwich ever.

A sanguchón (big sandwich) consist of bread, lettuce, tomato, a burger, cheese, a fried egg, string fries, and several sauces and dressings. It may sound like a total bomb, but it’s better if you don’t make a judgement until you go for a few late night drinks, and then try it.

Here comes the funny part, as there always seems to be one in regards to being a vegetarian in Peru. I never missed out on the pleasure of binging on a sanguchón with my friends, but I always had to ask them to make it exactly as it usually is, but without the burger. The looks of confusion were priceless.

This sandwich is so good, that I like to make it whenever I can, except that I take out several components, such as the string fries, the dressings, and yes, the meat of course. A Peruvian grilled cheese sandwich, if you will.

We made this one with all the fresh vegetables from the garden. So colorful and fresh! To replicate it, just pick the best quality bread and cheese you can get, some good organic, free-range, grass-fed eggs (wink! wink!), and all the veggies you can find. Maybe spread the bread with some aji amarillo sauce. Et voila! A healthy sanguchón to satisfy your appetite, midnight or not.

Hi John, vegetarians usually eat eggs and dairy. Vegans don’t. This sandwich also has cheese, which is vegetarian but not vegan. If you want to make it vegan, you can use vegan cheese and leave the egg out of the recipe, so it’s easy to adjust to different dietary preferences. You can also add a hamburger and turn it into a non-vegetarian sandwich, which is the way Peruvians eat it.